The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-31
DEFENSE OF YOUNG MEN.
REV. TALMAGE OPENS THE EYES
OF THE YOUTH.

udiOS W OJdrU w -lIlQuSOIlOuS
Habits Also a Great Protection-Re-
spect for the Sabbath a Powerful
Preservative Against Evil.
BROOKLYN, Oct. 30.--Six thousand people,
sitting and standing in the Brooklyn Taber-
nacle, and all the adjoining rooms packed,
and people turned away Such was the
scene to-day. The congregation sang:
Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
And press with vigor ON
The Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage, D. D.,
preached on the subject: defense of Young
Men" and took his text from II Kings vi. O.,
II; And the Lord opened the eyes Of the
young man." He said:
One morning in Dothan young theolog-
ical student was scared by finding himself
and Elisha, the prophet, upon whom he
waited, surrounded by a whole ar
my of enemies But venerable Elisha
was not scared at all because he
for him, i'll chariots made out of fire, wheels
of fire, dashboard of fire, and cushion of
fire, drawn by horses with nostriis of fire,
and name OF fire, and launches of fire, and
hoofs of fire--a supernatural appearance
that could not be seen with the natural eye.
SO the old minister prayed that the young
minister might see them also, and the prayer
was answered, and the Lord opened the
eyes of the young man, and he also saw the
fiery procession, looking somewhat, | sup
pose, like the Adirondacks or the Allegha-
nies in this autumnal resplendence.
Many young men, standing among the
most tremendous realities, have their eyes
half shut or entirely closed May God grant
that my sermon may open wide your eyes
to your safety, your opportunity and your
destiny.
A mighty defense for young man is a
good home. Some of my hearers look back
with tender satisfaction to their early home
1t may have been rude and rustic, hidden
among the hills, and architect or uphol-
sterer never planned or adorned it. But all
the fresco on princely walls never looked as
enticing to you as those rough hewn rafters.
You can think of no park or arbor of trees
planted on fashionable country seat So at
tractive as the plain brook that ran in front
of the old farm house, and sang under the
weeping willows. No barred gateway
adorned with statues of bronze, and swung
open by obsequious porter, has half the
glory of the swing gate. Many of you have
a second dwelling place, your adopted
home, that also is sacred forever. There
you built the first family altar. There your
children were born. All those trees you
planted That room is solemn, because once
in it, over the hot pillow, tapped the wing
of death. Under thatroof You expect, when
your work is done, to lie down and die You
try with many words to tell the excellency
of the place, but you fail. There is only one
word in the language that can describe your
meaning 1t is home.
Now, declare it, that young man is com
paratiyely safe who goes out into the world
with a charm-like this upon him. The
memory of parental soicltude, watching,
planning and praying, will be to him a
shield and shelter. | never knew man
faithful both to his early and adopted home,
who at the same time was given over TO any
gross form of dissipation or wickedness. He
who seeks his enjoyment chiefly from out
side association, rather than from the more
quiet and unpresuming pleasures of which
] have spoken may be suspected to be on the
broad road to ruin Absalom despised his
fathers house, and you know his history of
sin and his death of shame. If you seem un-
necessarily isolated from your kindred and
former associations, is there not some room
that you can call your own? Into it gather
books, and pictures, and a harp. Have a
portrait over the mantel. Make ungodly
mirth stand back from the threshold. Con
secrate some spot with the knee of prayer
BY the memory of other days, fathers
counsel and a mothers love, and a sisters
confidence, call it home
Another defense for young man is in
dustrious habit Many young men, in start
ing upon life i'll this age, expect to make
their way through the world by the use of
their wits rather than the toll of their hands
A child now goes to the city and fails twice
before he is as old as his father was when he
first saw the spires Of the great town. Sit
ting in some Office, rented at thousand
dollars a year, he is waiting for the bank to
declare its dividend, or goes into the market
expecting before night to be made rich by
the rushing up of the stocks. But luck
seemed so dull he resolved on some other
tack Perhaps he borrowed from his EN-
ployer's money drawer, and forgets to put
il back, or for merely the purpose of i'm
proving his penmanship makes copy plate
of a merchants signature. Never mind, all
is right in trade. In some dark night there
may come in his dreams a vision of Black
wells Island, or of Sing Sing, but it soon
vanishes. In a short time he will be ready
to retire from the busy world, and amid his
focks and herds culture the domestic virtues
Then those young men who once were his
schoomates, and knew no better than to
engage in honest work, will come with their
OK teams to draw him logs, and with their
hard hands help heave up his castle. This is
no fancy picture. 1t is everyday life.
should not wonder it there were SOME rotten
beams in that beautiful palace. ] should
not wonder if dire sicknesses should smite
through the young man, or If God should
pour into his cup of life draught that
would thrill him with unbearable agony.
should not wonder if his children should be-
come to him a living curse, making his
home pest and disgrace. | should not
wonder If he goes to miserable grave, and
beyond it into the gnashing OF teeth. The
way of the ungodly shall perish.
Ny young friends, there is no way to
genuine success, except through toll either
of the head or hand. AT the battle Of
Crecy, in 1876, the Prince of Wales, finding
himself heavily pressed by the enemy, sent
word to his father for help. The father,
watching the battle from windmill, and
seeing that his son was not wounded and
could gain the day if he would, sent word
'No. will not come. Let the boy win his
spurs for. if God will, desire that this day
be his with all its honors." Young man,
fight your own battle all through, and you
shall have the victory. Oh, it is battle
worth fighting Two monarchs of old
fought a duel, Charles V. and Francis, and
the stakes were kingdoms, Milan and Bur-
gundy. You fight with sin, and the stake
is heaven or hell.
Do not get the fatal idea that you are a
genius. and that therefore there is no
need of close application. 1t is here where
multitudes fail. The great curse of this age
is the geniuses men with enormous self
conceit and egotism, and nothing else.
had rather be an OK than an eagle; plain,
and nloddiup and useful rather than high